Cheating On Keto: What To Expect And Why

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. While cheat days are common on diets, they can be detrimental to the keto diet as they can set you back in your progress and have lasting effects on your future dieting success. Cheat days on the keto diet will likely bring you out of ketosis, which can take up to a week to get back to using fat for energy. This is because eating above 50 grams of carbs for your cheat day will very likely take you out of ketosis, as your body will begin using the available carbs as its primary source of fuel rather than fat. However, if your primary goal is to lose weight, cheating on your keto diet from time to time is not going to destroy your progress.

You will likely be kicked out of ketosis

Cheat days on the keto diet will likely kick you out of ketosis. Ketosis is a state your body goes into when it uses fat to create molecules called ketones. This happens when there is not much sugar around for your body to use as energy. In ketosis, your body relies primarily on fat instead of sugar for energy.

When you introduce carbs into your body, even for a single day, you will no longer be in ketosis. The main problem with dropping out of ketosis is getting back into it. It can take a few days and even up to a week to get back to using fat for fuel. That means that a single cheat day will impede your progress for up to seven days.

The number of carbs needed to kick you out of ketosis depends on the person and how long you’ve been doing keto. But it’s safe to say that any high-carb meal over your recommended daily carb limit will do the trick. The effect is pretty immediate (aka the same day). For example, if you need to eat less than 20 grams of carbs per day to stay on keto, a cheat meal with 20 or more grams of carbohydrates will probably cause you to fall off the wagon.

If you are fat-adapted, you can get back into ketosis more quickly after a cheat day. Therefore, it is not recommended to cheat if you are just starting.

How to get back into ketosis

• Limit your carb intake even more than you normally would. If you typically eat 50g of carbs or less per day, drop it down to 15-25g for two or three days following your cheat day.
• Increase your exercise. Adding 15-20 minutes of medium-to-high-intensity exercise each day after a cheat day will help deplete glycogen stores and get you back into ketosis more quickly.
• Fasting after a cheat day helps your body recover from the consequences of high carbohydrate consumption. Try to extend your intermittent fasting window to 24 hours.
• Drink apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has a history as a weight-loss drink. It has antimicrobial properties and was also used to clean wounds in times before antibiotics. It has a protective effect on the induced insulin response.
• Consume salt. Salt can help to buffer insulin spikes, inhibit blood sugar crashes, and stabilize blood glucose levels post-carbohydrate cheat meal. Opt for real sea salt or pink Himalayan salt.
• Drink mineral water. Since your body will flush out water when getting back into ketosis, it is important to stay hydrated. Mineral water offers most of the essential electrolytes that your body needs.
• Consume healthy fats. Using fat as the primary energy source is the underlying purpose of a ketogenic diet. Boost your keto diet cheat day recovery with foods that contain healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil and grass-fed or pastured meat.

Your blood sugar will spike

When you cheat on a keto diet, your blood sugar levels will surge. The keto diet is effective in stabilising blood glucose, but cheat days can cause these levels to spike, even dangerously. This is especially serious if you have diabetes or other digestive issues.

The keto diet is all about reducing net carb intake, so the body can enter a state of ketosis and efficiently break down fat into ketones. When you cheat on the diet, you are re-introducing restricted items, and in large quantities, which can really impact the body's fat-burning state.

When you cheat on keto, your body will switch back to glucose as its primary source of fuel. This is because the body naturally prefers to use carbohydrates for energy. The more carbs you eat, the more likely your blood sugar will spike. Excess blood sugar will be stored as glycogen, and the more glycogen you have, the longer it will take to return to ketosis.

The blood sugar spike will also be followed by a crash, and it is common for people to experience an intense sugar crash after cheating with a carb-heavy meal.

To avoid this, you can have a keto cheat day by creating keto-friendly alternatives or low-carb swaps for the foods you love. For example, if you're craving cheesy pasta, try substituting the noodles with zucchini (a.k.a. zoodles).

Ketone production will stop

When you cheat on a keto diet, your body will stop producing ketones. Ketosis is a state your body goes into when it uses fat to create molecules called ketones. This happens when there is not much sugar around for your body to use as energy. If you eat more than your daily allotment of carbs, your body will use those carbs as its primary source of fuel rather than fat.

When you introduce carbs into your diet, even for a single day, you will no longer be in ketosis. This means your body will stop producing ketones. The main problem with dropping out of ketosis is that it can be difficult to get back into it. It can take a few days and even up to a week to get back to using fat for fuel. This means that a single cheat day can impede your progress for up to seven days.

If you are using the keto diet for weight loss, cheating is not the end of the world. However, it is important to note that it may take some time and effort to get back into ketosis. Additionally, cheating on the keto diet can cause cravings, which will impact your willingness to adhere to the diet.

If you are using the keto diet for a medical reason, such as to control seizures, cheating is not recommended.

You may gain water weight

Cheating on your keto diet can lead to a temporary gain in water weight. This is because a majority of the sugars you eat during a cheat meal will be used to replenish glycogen stores in your body. This, in turn, can cause a temporary increase in water retention, leading to a slight gain in water weight.

The good news is that this water weight gain is usually short-lived and not indicative of long-term weight gain. As long as you return to your keto diet and maintain calorie control, you are unlikely to gain significant weight in the long run.

It is important to note that the impact of a cheat meal on water weight can vary from person to person. Some individuals may experience a more noticeable gain in water weight, while others may not see much of a difference.

Additionally, the duration of the water weight gain can also vary. In some cases, it may last for a few days or a week, depending on your body's ability to return to ketosis.

To minimize the impact of a cheat meal on water weight, it is recommended to stick to a single cheat meal instead of a full cheat day. This will help reduce the amount of glycogen stored in your body and minimize the water retention.

Overall, while cheating on the keto diet may lead to a temporary gain in water weight, it is not something to be overly concerned about as long as you get back on track with your diet and maintain a calorie deficit.

Tips to Minimize Water Weight Gain After a Cheat Meal:

• Limit the frequency of cheat meals: Try to avoid making cheat meals a regular occurrence. The more often you cheat, the longer it may take for your body to return to ketosis, and the longer the water weight may persist.
• Exercise after a cheat meal: Engaging in physical activity can help deplete glycogen stores and encourage your body to use up the excess carbohydrates. This can help reduce the duration of water weight gain.
• Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water can help flush out excess glycogen and reduce water retention. It will also help your body function optimally and support the ketosis process.
• Increase your electrolyte intake: Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium can help balance fluid levels in your body and reduce water retention. Consider consuming bone broth or taking electrolyte supplements to support hydration and minimize water weight gain.

You may experience a sugar crash

Cheating on your keto diet can lead to a sugar crash, which is a rapid drop in blood sugar levels after a spike. This can leave you feeling tired, irritable, and craving more sugar. The severity of the crash will depend on how long you've been on the keto diet and your individual response to carbohydrate consumption.

When you're on the keto diet, your body enters a state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This means that your body becomes very efficient at using fat as fuel and less reliant on carbohydrates. When you suddenly introduce a large amount of carbohydrates, such as during a cheat day, your body's blood sugar levels spike. This is because carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is a quick source of energy for the body.

However, this spike in blood sugar is often followed by a crash. This is because the body can only process and use so much glucose at once. When there is more glucose in the bloodstream than the body can handle, it triggers the release of insulin, a hormone that helps lower blood sugar levels. Insulin signals cells to take up glucose from the bloodstream and either use it for energy or store it for later use. This rapid decrease in blood sugar levels after a spike is what leads to the sugar crash.

The symptoms of a sugar crash can include fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, headaches, and strong cravings for sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods. The severity and duration of these symptoms can vary depending on individual factors. For some people, the sugar crash may last for just a few hours, while others may experience prolonged symptoms that interfere with their daily activities.

To minimize the impact of a sugar crash after a keto cheat day, it is important to monitor your carbohydrate intake and choose your cheat meals wisely. Opt for lower-glycemic carbohydrates, such as whole grains, beans, and fruits, which will lead to a slower and smaller increase in blood sugar levels. Additionally, pairing carbohydrates with protein, healthy fats, and fibre can help slow down the absorption of glucose and prevent a drastic spike and subsequent crash.

It is also important to listen to your body and be mindful of your portion sizes during a keto cheat day. Overeating high-carbohydrate foods can exacerbate the sugar crash and make it more challenging to get back into ketosis. Remember that a keto cheat day is meant to be an occasional treat, not an excuse to overeat or indulge excessively.

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